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MANY ALIEN SPECIES, GOOD AND EVIL

by Thomas M. Sipos, managing editor [June 3, 2015]

[WeeklyUniverse.com] From its title -- Alien Arrival: Salvation or Destruction -- one might expect Michael FitzGerald's book to focus on the societal impact of an imminent alien invasion. But despite the title's alarmist tone, his book is a calm, general overview of the phenomenon of alien sightings throughout history.

How does Alien Arrival differ from so many other general alien overviews? FitzGerald claims "an open-minded and enquiring" approach not always seen in other UFO books. "Many are written either with dogmatic skepticism or uncritical credulity. I also focus on exceptional cases, such as the Bentwaters-Lakenheath sighting, and on 'human interest' stories, such as Cynthia Appleton and Leah Haley, and on recent cases."

From his research, FitzGerald concluded that "no single explanation covers all the available facts. Leaving aside deliberate hoaxes, and misidentifications of natural phenomena or known physical objects, there are cases that cannot be explained away. Some, particularly many abduction cases, seem to require a psychological or psychic theory. Others might represent some kind of unknown terrestrial species. Still others might be the results of genetic experiments."

Skeptics will point to the variety of alien descriptions as reason to doubt the entire phenomenon. Is it feasible that Earth is being visited not by one alien species, but by a whole menagerie? FitzGerald doesn't see this as a problem. "The variety of alien types is not surprising. There is a rich diversity of life on earth. It seems probable that extraterrestrial life would be equally varied.

"The grays are the most frequently reported alien type, but different types have been described in many compelling cases. Jean Tingley's visitors resembled the fairies of legend. Cynthia Appleton's Venusian was humanoid. Boas's visitors were robotic, apart from the alien woman who seduced him. Figures seen by many people in the New Guinea sighting were not grays."

FitzGerald's alien overview extends beyond the traditional bounds of UFO studies, overlapping with the field of cryptozoology. "Chupacabras and moca vampires are an entirely different type of creature that might or might not be extraterrestrial. It is difficult to state with certainty how many of the alien types represent extraterrestrial life. My opinion is that creatures such as alien big cats, chupacabras, and other purely animal encounters represent unknown terrestrial species rather than alien beings.

"Grays, androids and robots probably are extraterrestrial. I am less convinced that humanoid and human figures originate from other planets. Humanoids might be the result of alien interbreeding with humans, or genetic experiments by the military. In the case of reptoids, I am divided. They might originate from beyond our planet, or simply be a distant relative of the dinosaurs. No single explanation covers the large variety of aliens observed.

The book's subtitle -- Salvation or Destruction -- implies that aliens are soon usher in utopia ... or doomsday! "My suspicion is that some aliens are benevolent and wish to help other life forms, while some are malevolent and seek to destroy or at least exploit us. There seems no logical reason to assume that extraterrestrials should be any less individual than human beings.

"The reptoid is generally described as malevolent. Others, particularly 'space brothers and sisters,' are seen as benevolent. Grays are a mixed picture. Some engage in malevolent actions. Others are described by some abductees as 'loving.'

"As an optimist, I believe the influence of aliens is more likely to exert a benevolent brake on our own destructive tendencies, than to hurtle us into doom."

Apart from research, FitzGerald experienced a close encounter of his own. "My wife and I saw a UFO over a period of around two weeks. We observed it in the sky from our back garden. There was a bright light in the sky above us that seemed to radiate beams of light, always in the same direction.

"When we took out our binoculars, we saw that it was not a star, but a large spaceship. It had an elongated shape, with a brightly lit upper chamber.The vessel appeared to be a mother ship with smaller scout ships. It moved slowly from south to north, emitting a steady pulsing light. Powerful red and green lights at the front of the vessel shone through the darkness.

"We observed this over a number of nights. Sadly, we did not photograph our own sighting."

FitzGerald says he has an honors degree in philosophy, and has spent six years as a librarian at the Royal Aeronautical Society, whose library contains much material on UFOs. Ufologists often visit the library and speak about the UFO phenomenon. He has also written about the Nazi occult connection. He has a blog.

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